The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-08-20
Washington Territory Letter.
SUMMER. Pierce Co.. w, II.


August 9. 1857.
/ can't boom this country if try, for
I do not know how, nor. indeed, do
know as can enthuse, but can simply
tell what / have learned. mainly by OBJ
servation, during my stay here of now
four months.
For the first six weeks after we ar
rived it rained, not hard or blustery,
but just quiet, steady drizzle. No
one seemed to mind it enough to stay
in doors at all. Yet of course people
grumbled, and thought there never was
so backward season. 1t did seem
pleasant when the clouds cleared away
and the sun came to stay. That. we
are told. is simply sample of our win
ters. If that is true, think prefer
it to severe cold and snow. Just now
the dust is fearful. There isn't so
much dust in Kingsbury county as
there is flying in the air in Sumner. A
good soaking ram would settle it, but
find that Dakota rain signs do not
amount to anything here at all. Your
weather prophets would have to give it
up here entirely or else learn over
again. There have been but few very
warm days this summer. and every
night has been cool. Thunder showers
and wind storms are unknown. There
is something refreshing and invigorat-
ing about the climate which haye
never found before.
One always having lived In prairie
country can nave no conception OF
Washington Territory. Sumner is a
small village about twelve miles from
Puget Sound, lying In the valley CT
Stuck and Puvallup rivers. This is a
beautiful and luxurant valley. Hops,
fruit and hay are the productions. This
is claimed to be the greatest hop grow
ing country In the world. Every rancher
raises them with hardly an exception.
Blackberries and plums are now ripe,
and soon will follow pears, apples,
peaches and ounces. Grain is scarcely
cultivated at all. Corn Is no crop
at all on account Of the cool nights. All
kinds of flowers, ard especially roses,
flourish abundantly. It does not seem
as il California can excel this country
In its luxurance of beautiful roses.
The Saturday morning before the
Fourth party Of eight Of us took the
train at Puyallup, three and one-half
miles from here, for the Green River
Hot Springs I'm the mountains. We ar
rived there ut p. m, haying passed
through some Of the prettiest country l
ever saw. All mountain streams are
clear and rapid, but I do not believe
there are many prettier ones than
Green River. So many cascades,
rapids and waterfalls, and the water
such clear, transparent green. con-
trasting with its white foam. The rail-
road crosses the stream seven times
within only q few miles. There Is no
station house but the train simply
stopped and we stepped or and followed
a trail about one-half mile through the
trees to the hotel. The BAGGAGE was
taken on car used for the purpose.
The springs gush from the rocks on
the opposite side Of the river from the
hotel and the water Is brought across in
pipes. can not say that I rolished
the water at all--jt was too warm. and
seemed as II 1t had had eggs boiled In
/ 1t. Nearly every one had gone down to
Tacoma for the celebration 80 there
were only eight invalids there besides
ourselves. They say that the baths
are really very healing for rheumatism
and such diseases. We enjoyed our
selves very much fishing, though we